Passionate about sharing your love of science to younger generations? Our life science licensure program prepares you to teach all biology courses as a science specialist at the high school level. It also prepares you to teach a variety of subjects at the middle school level as a science generalist.
As a teaching major in life science, Jackson Miner is passionate about educating a new generation of scientists. He also explores ways to add topics of diversity and social justice to the curriculum.
Read Jackson's story.What You Will Learn
As you move through the program to prepare for a fulfilling career as an educator, you will:
- Develop an in-depth understanding of the life sciences through coursework in subjects like anatomy, botany, chemistry, ecology, microbiology, and others
- Complete a professional education sequence that explores the historical, social, and philosophical foundations of education
- Be prepared to meet the unique teaching needs of middle and high school students from diverse backgrounds through specific coursework in science teaching and multicultural education
- Complete an on-site student teaching experience in your preferred educational setting
What It’s Like to Major in Life Science Teaching at Ball State
Participate in clinical practice experiences throughout your program, including visiting local schools to observe and practice teaching in real classrooms, leading to your own student teaching experience.
Students from various academic departments, including teaching majors in life science, participate in a range of interdisciplinary immersive learning programs. You might work to develop a children’s book with the Conservation Tales project, or select from numerous other projects offered throughout the university.
View Current Immersive Learning Opportunities
Class sizes are small enough to ensure you get the individual attention you need from professors with extensive experience teaching science in the K-12 setting.
If you’re interested in lab or field research, the program offers electives for research with biology faculty. You might also choose a study abroad trip to conduct field investigations in places like Belize, South Africa, Costa Rica, or the Atlantic coast. Departmental organizations within biology and the pre-health professions give you a chance to dive deeper into your favorite biology topics, and we welcome your involvement in science education as a science fair judge or volunteer in an environmental education program.
As a student in our secondary education program, you’ll benefit from experiences and expertise of your home department, taking courses in content and content pedagogy—the methods and practices for teaching specific content—and learning from experts in the field of your chosen teaching major. In Teachers College, you’ll explore other important aspects of teaching and interact with teaching majors in other disciplines. Learn more about the Teachers College.
Program Requirements
As our student, you will take a combination of content courses in biology, chemistry, and other sciences along with courses in teaching from the Teachers College.
Credits
Total to Graduate: 120
Courses
- ANAT 201 - Fundamentals of Human Anatomy
- BIO 111 - Principles of Biology 1
- BIO 112 - Principles of Biology 2
- BIO 210 - Introduction to Botany
- BIO 214 - Genetics
- BIO 215 - Cell Biology
- BIO 216 - Ecology
- BIO 313 - Microbiology
- BIO 440 - Evolution
- CHEM 111 - General Chemistry 1
- CHEM 112 - General Chemistry 2
- CHEM 231 - Organic Chemistry 1 and CHEM 241 - Organic Laboratory 1
- MATH 181 - Elementary Probability Stats or BIO 448 - Biometry
- PHYC 110 - General Physics 1
- PHYS 205 - Fundamentals of Human Physiology
- SCI 150 - Basic Concepts in Science Education
- SCI 295 - Introduction to the Teaching of Science
- SCI 396 - Using Science Methods and Materials
- EDFO 420 - Social, Historical, and Philosophical Foundations of Education
- EDMU 205 - Introduction to Multicultural Education
- EDPS 251 - Human Growth and Development for Secondary Education
- EDPS 390 - Educational Psychology
- EDSE 320 - Reading for Diverse Learners in Secondary Content Classes
- EDSE 380 - Principles of Teaching in the Secondary School
- EDSE 460 - Student Teaching: Secondary School
- EDSE 465 - Elective Student Teaching: Secondary, Junior High/Middle, or All-Grade
For a complete list of all the classes you will take as part of this program and their descriptions, please see our Course Catalog.
View Catalog
Paying for Your Education
Apply to Ball State
Admission to Ball State is selective, and we carefully evaluate all applications on an individual basis. Applying is easy. Use our convenient, comprehensive, and secure online application.
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Want to Learn More?
The best way to get a true feel for Ball State is to spend some time here, so we encourage you and your family to schedule a campus visit. Take a tour, attend an information session, meet with a professor in our area, and ask plenty of questions. Or if you’d rather speak to someone directly by phone or email, please feel free to contact us.
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